SECOND SCREEN EXPANSION CAMPAIGN
TWO SCREENS.
TWICE THE IMPACT.
Building a second screen will not only broaden film selections and showtimes for our audiences, but also bolster our ability to foster community connection in Downtown Akron.
Will you help us reach our overall goal?
Leveling Up How We Light Up Akron
Since opening in 2014, The Nightlight has been Akron's go-to spot for independent arthouse films, where everyone’s welcome to enjoy the magic of cinema any night of the week.
Nearly ten years in, we’ve:
Hosted over 115,000 filmgoers
Showcased over 1000 unique film selections
Built a tight-knit community of diverse film fans from across Northeast Ohio
All with only one screen. With a second screen, we’ll be able to more than double our capacity to continue making world-class cinema experiences accessible and inclusive for our city.
Why Build a Second Screen?
🎞️
BROADER FILM OPTIONS
With two screens, we can bring in a wider selection of high-quality films, as well as offer more convenient showtimes for guests. Not to mention live and virtual talkbacks!
🍿🍿
BETTER MOVIEGOING EXPERIENCE
Our expansion will allow us to upgrade and enhance our features and offerings, ensuring an exceptional experience of cinematic magic for everyone.
📈📈📈
BIGGER COMMUNITY IMPACT
Greater availability for hosting community events. Stronger partnerships with local nonprofits and orgs. Over 30K extra visitors to Downtown Akron's Historic Arts District each year.
The Nightlight is an independent nonprofit cinema, illuminating Akron with accessible + inclusive cinematic experiences since 2014.
More Than a Movie Theater
We’re big believers in movie magic. But our mission goes beyond the pictures and the popcorn. The power of cinema brings us together, challenges and inspires us.
That’s why The Nightlight is primarily a community space, not only providing our audiences with high-quality arthouse experiences, but also fostering connection between each member of our audiences, and within our city.
Here’s how you can play a part in the future of cinema in Akron.
Our mission — to make indie arthouse cinema more accessible and inclusive — would be impossible without the steadfast support, from day one, of our passionate (and fast-growing!) community of film fans. In every audience you’ll find folks of all ages, from all areas of Northeast Ohio, and with a wide range of taste in movies.
Thanks to you all, things have amped up like never before! In 2023 alone, we’ve shown over 100 films and have increased attendance by 65% — while staying true to the independent spirit and love of cinema with which The Nightlight was founded.
So our upcoming 10th year anniversary in 2024 feels like the right time to take The Nightlight’s mission to the next level. We recently exceeded our Kickstarter goal by 130%, so now we’re looking ahead to early next year for starting construction.
While there’s still a long road ahead before the expansion is complete, we know we’re backed by a community that believes an indie arthouse in Akron is worth building upon.
Together, we’re making it happen!
Jenn Kidd, Executive Director at The Nightlight
Meeting our Second Screen Expansion goal will allow us to enhance and upgrade our space, features, and offerings, ensuring a world-class film experience for current and future patrons — which means more opportunities for everyone to see incredible movies with friends, old and new!
With our glowing marquee on High Street, The Nightlight is ready to welcome twice as many visitors to Downtown Akron’s Historic Arts District, making an exceptional cinema experience a possibility for everyone in our arts-supporting city.
Thank you so much for being an essential part of The Nightlight’s story, and supporting us as we move into this exciting new chapter!
LIGHTS. CAMERA. AKRON.
Here’s what film fans in Akron and Northeast Ohio are saying about their favorite place to catch an amazing movie, any night of the week.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Hands-down the best-kept secret in greater Akron! I've taken all my friends here and have purchased a membership!”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I drive from Cleveland regularly to see movies here because the theater is cute, the movie selection is great, and the emphasis on local concession products shows that they are about helping the local community at large. I also like that the staff often gives a little background about the movie before the showings and thanks folks for attending. Favorite theater in Northeast Ohio.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Great atmosphere!! Five stars!! Shout out to the staff, y’all rock!!”
Your gift to our Second Screen Campaign will help The Nightlight burn twice as bright.
AKRON’S GO-TO SPOT
FOR CINEMATIC MAGIC,
ANY NIGHT OF THE WEEK.
Second Screen Expansion Progress
How far along is the overall Second Screen Campaign?
Our Second Screen Expansion plan is broken up into 3 acts, and we’re currently in the middle of Act 2.
During Act 1, we worked closely with our outstanding architect, Mary O'Connor, to develop plans for the theater of our dreams.
More recently, we raised $65K for our Second Screen Kickstarter, which will give us the momentum to begin construction earlier next year.
Act 2 involves taking possession of the physical space and beginning construction. Our team has consulted with structural engineers and builders to ensure the project's feasibility, and we are now working alongside Alan Burge Architecture to finalize construction-permit-ready drawings before we begin Act 3 — where we’ll finalize the expansion and ready our space for reopening!
Large-scale construction projects have a lot of moving parts, and involve a lot of people: designers, architects, and architects of records… structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers… construction companies and consultants… and so on — all which makes for a timeline that can shift depending on one factor or another. A big endeavor like this takes a lot of money, time, and flexibility. Many meetings, minds, and hours have gone into getting The Nightlight Second Screen Project this far.
And yet we still have a long way to go. Much work goes into preparing for something this excellent.
Here are just a few expenses:
Professional Services: $50K
Theater Equipment & Install: $125K
Construction: $700K+
As a nonprofit organization, The Nightlight is being as fiscally sound and responsible as possible to make this project happen. We’ve consulted with the experts, and we want to ensure this project is completed in a timely manner, but also a smart financial manner for our organization. We’re so appreciative of your support that helped us raise 130% of our Kickstarter goal — though truthfully, it’s a small part of our total expense.
Still, it gets us that much closer, and we're committed to completing the expansion. Together we’re making it happen.
We’re looking forward to reaching our overall goal for our Second Screen Campaign. And we appreciate your unwavering support — every dollar, every share, every like, and every positive review gets us closer to bringing our second screen dream to life. We couldn’t do this without you!
In the meantime, you can stay updated by subscribing to our newsletter and following The Nightlight on Facebook and Instagram.
Every contribution makes a difference. Thank you.
Questions about our Second Screen Expansion?
Please message our Executive Director, Jenn Kidd, at jkidd@nightlightcinema.com.
